WASHINGTON: A court in the United States (US) has ordered the US Marines to allow Sikh recruits to maintain beards and wear turbans as part of their religious custom and rejected the contention of the US marine elite unit that allowing religious immunities would reduce efficiency, performance, and cohesion of US marines.
US armed forces religious exemptions
The US Army, US Navy, US Air Force, and US Coast Guards, along with many foreign militaries, already accommodate the religious requirements of Sikhism. The religion Sikhism, born five centuries ago in South Asia, prohibits men from cutting hair and trimming beards. So, Sikhs require beards and turbans as part of their religious faith.
US Marines and Sikhs Religious custom
The US Marine Corps banned the recruitment of Sikh soldiers following the recruitment process of three Sikhs who passed major tests to enlist in the marines successfully. US Marines refused to make exemptions to rules of soldiers related to 13 weeks of basic training and for potential periods of combat. — APP/AFP
